Bagging It

Full disclaimer: I have two boys who don’t care at all about what they’re wearing.

The first time Lyndon suggested that we (I) should separate the kids’ clothes into individual bags of complete outfits, I was aghast. No way did I intend to add anything to my laundry routine. Laundry had already taken over my life.

But when we went to England, I did organize the kids’ suitcase with gallon-sized ziplock bags filled with one pair of socks, underwear (or diaper, depending on the kid), one pair of pants, and one shirt. I did it because I thought maybe the additional time spent would make our visit easier. It did.

When we woke up in unfamiliar surroundings, we didn’t have to search for shirts that matched with socks or attempt to avoid plaid pants and stripey tops. The bags really helped make our mornings less stressful. I could say “Go get a bag out of your suitcase and bring it over here,” and they’d come toddling back, bag in hand, and proud. It was so cute.

And on that same trip, when Lyndon surprised me with an overnight trip to Paris, we didn’t scramble to get the kids’ stuff together for a sleepover with his family. It was already together. Bag, bag, bag, bag. Done.

So when we got home, and I was wash wash washing two weeks worth of clothes, I decided to reuse the bags. Still today, I make 8-10 at a time. Maybe it doesn’t save time – maybe it just saves aggravation. But that’s a lot in the world of boys and mornings.